Laura Vitcova

Shema

Shema yisrael, adonai eloheinu, adonai echad

On the edge of your bed bones exquisite ready resting
your arms on the arms of a hospice nurse your nails
still painted hair a shade of red your essence
hangs deflated on to the scent of earth 

a stethoscope on top of your vanity cancer dreams dusty long
eyeshadows lipsticks olive skin leather pumps polyester
perfume blouses stained tracing the sun the moon
your silvery eyes blue the color of a newborn's 

a fistful of lemons the scent of citrus your lungs disintegrating
the scent of citrus the sun disintegrating
your tongue disintegrating
inside being eaten 

sun falls pink on the fuzzy you sleep in resting
my head on your chest afraid to crush you
ancestors come cut breath flutters
yiddish landing in pieces 

I thank your feet your wilted
womb singing
the shema

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Laura Vitcova was born in Northern California and writes from home in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for language. In her spare time, she is hiking with her dog, attending workshops or looking through the lens of a camera. Twitter: @lauravitcova